Session:
Wealth Moves: The Pivot from Pro Ball to Corporate America
Shareef Abdur-Rahim is a former Olympic Gold Medalist, NBA All-Star, and professional basketball player who currently serves as President of the NBA G League. Since 2019, he has led the league’s 31 franchises, overseeing business operations, rule development, strategic planning, officiating, and expansion, including the creation of four new teams—one being the first U.S. sports franchise in Mexico.
Previously, Shareef served as VP of Basketball Operations at the NBA, where he helped shape league rules, supported marquee events like the All-Star Game and Draft, and led the development of internal reporting systems. He also held executive roles with the Sacramento Kings and Reno Bighorns, managing player personnel, scouting, and compliance while advancing both organizations competitively.
Beyond basketball, Shareef is an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He founded Abdur-Rahim Enterprises, an investment group focused on real estate and private equity, and launched the Future Foundation, a non-profit supporting youth development programs.
A 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist and 2024 Georgia Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Shareef also holds an MBA from USC and is a proud husband and father of two.
Session:
Breakout Session: Building Empires: From Side Hustle to Generational Wealth
Jay Bailey serves as the President & CEO of the H.J. Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, where he leads the world's largest entrepreneurial hub dedicated to growing, scaling, & developing Black businesses. He and his team have transformed RICE into an economic empowerment and innovation powerhouse.
Jay is an Atlanta native, three-time TED Talker, and die-hard Georgia Bulldog. He has been recognized with the prestigious National Point of Light Award, named one of Atlanta's "Most Admired CEOs" by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, ranked on Atlanta Magazine's "POWER 100" list of the most dynamic leaders in the city, and honored by Georgia Trend Magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential” leaders in the State. His leadership and commitment to the community have been recognized by three U.S. Presidents. In 2012, he was one of eight Americans honored at the White House as a "Champion of Change: Following in the Footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr."
Jay shares his life's journey with his wife, Dateline NBC correspondent Blayne Alexander, & their cherished daughters, Sage & Skylar.
Session:
Identifying and Addressing Blindspots
Known as The Leadership Strategist®: Galen is a certified Executive Coach and acclaimed facilitator who offers insight from 30 years of operating experience with Fortune 500 companies. He has led in industry-leading corporations like Kraft Foods, Imperial Sugar, and The Coca-Cola Company. He also has 6 years’ experience as a brick-and-mortar retail franchise owner. Galen is consistently sought to advise or serve on premiere non-profit boards where he provides oversight in governance, board development, CEO selection and organizational leadership. Galen has worked with, coached, or advised over 975 executives in leading brands such as Microsoft, Cisco, Merck, Capital One, W.W. Grainger Inc., KPMG, Deloitte and over 70 others.
Session:
NBMBAA® Leadership Institute: The Story Way: How to Impact, Influence, and Inspire More through your Lore
Bio coming soon
Session:
Scale Up Pitch Challenge Finals Experience (Host)
If you’ve ever heard Sherhara speak, you’ve likely been captivated by her rare ability to connect, challenge, and command the room. As a magnetic keynote speaker and trusted Communication Advisor, she helps ambitious voices, thought leaders, visionaries, and emerging leaders bridge the gap between self-reflection and self-expression. Sherhara equips people to turn inner clarity into outer confidence so they can lead with conviction and speak with purpose. Her work combines lived experience, sharp insight, and practical frameworks that inspire self-trust, clear action, and real change. With over 17 years of experience coaching and facilitating for companies like Under Armour, Capital One, Toyota, and Comcast, Sherhara empowers people to speak up and stand out. Whether it’s on stage, in strategy sessions, or during workshops, she brings energy, warmth, and wisdom that linger long after the mic is off.
Session:
Future Forward: Navigating the Tech Driven Business Landscape
Angle Bush is a visionary, innovator, and advocate shaping the future of AI. In 2020, she founded Black Women In Artificial Intelligence with a mission to Educate, Engage, Embrace, and Empower. Under her leadership, BWIAI has grown into a global movement across five continents, partnering with Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Amazon to drive opportunity and inclusion. A thought leader and sought-after speaker, Angle challenges the tech world to innovate with purpose. She's an alumna of Central Michigan University, with studies at Harvard, and now serves as a Visiting Fellow at the University of Miami and sits on CMU’s College of Science and Engineering Advisory Board. Her work has been recognized by TEDx, NPR, Bloomberg, Forbes, National Urban League Conference,Inc.Magazine, and more.
Session:
Future Forward: Navigating the TechDriven Business Landscape
Kimberly Bryant is a visionary technologist, founder, author, and cultural architect whose work bridges racial justice, innovation, and narrative transformation. She is the founder and CEO of the Black Innovation Lab by Ascend Ventures, a new model for a collective venture ecosystem focused on economic development in the U.S. South. Through this initiative, she supports and invests in startup founders building technologies for social impact, equity, and generational wealth reimagining what inclusive innovation looks like across the region and beyond.
This work builds on her foundational impact as the founder of Black Girls CODE, where she pioneered the first program of its kind centering girls from underrepresented communities. Under her leadership, Black Girls CODE became one of the most impactful STEM movements of the last decade introducing over 100,000 girls of color to coding, creativity, and community through a global network of learning spaces. Students from the program have gone on to speak at global venues including the United Nations.
Kimberly is currently completing her memoir, Ascending: Black Women and the Power Paradox (forthcoming from Penguin Random House in 2026).
Kimberly holds a degree in electrical engineering with a concentration in computer science from Vanderbilt University. She lives in Oakland, California, where she tends her garden, writes in longform, and cultivates spaces where new futures for Black women can take root.
Session:
Marvin Ellison Session
Marvin Ellison is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lowe’s Companies, Inc., a FORTUNE® 100 home improvement company with over 1,700 stores and approximately 300,000 associates.
With more than 35 years of retail leadership and operational experience, Marvin has the unique distinction of being the only African American to serve as Chairman and CEO of two Fortune 500 companies. Prior to Lowe’s, Marvin served as Chairman and CEO of J.C. Penney Co.
Marvin earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from The University of Memphis, where he currently serves on the board of trustees. He also holds an MBA from Emory University. He also serves on the board of directors for FedEx Corporation.
Session:
Fireside Chat
Widely known as the “queen of the war room,” Ashley Etienne is one of the nation’s top communications strategists, with over 15 years advising leaders including Presidents Obama and Biden, Vice President Harris, and Speaker Pelosi. She served as Deputy Assistant to President Biden and Communications Director to Vice President Harris, and led Pelosi’s strategy during the 2018 midterms and Trump’s first impeachment. Etienne also held senior roles under Obama and in Congress with Elijah Cummings. Now founder of Etienne & Saint and senior advisor at Weber Shandwick, she helps leaders navigate political and societal disruption. A CBS News contributor and former Georgetown fellow, Etienne brings powerful insights on leadership, policy, and media shaped by her experience at the center of U.S. politics. She holds degrees from Johns Hopkins and Sam Houston State University.
Session:
Future Forward: Navigating the Tech Driven Business Landscape
James Francis | Architect of Capital, Culture, and Code
James Francis is a visionary builder across AI, finance, and media. As founder and CEO of Paradigm Asset Management, he pioneered Collective Intelligence, a data-driven investment approach that has managed over $7 billion for institutional investors globally. His career bridges three domains—Capital, Culture, and Code—driven by a mission to shape a more ethical, intelligent future.
Francis is the creator of Artificial Integrity, a groundbreaking framework—and the subject of his forthcoming book—designed to ensure AI aligns with human dignity, ethical principles, and contextual intelligence. Through this work, he advances a new standard for AI, one that prioritizes trust, innovation, and cultural alignment with the people it’s meant to serve.
He also leads Sole.ai, the first Living Intelligence System (LIS) built on the Artificial Integrity framework. Sole.ai is a modular, multi-agent platform that powers dynamic, culturally attuned systems for content creation, knowledge delivery, and human-AI interaction. Designed to protect voice, center context, and scale trust, the system enables adaptive, multi-format tools that learn, respond, and evolve with stakeholders’ needs. Sole.ai opens a new frontier for equitable and responsive AI.
A Morehouse graduate and serial entrepreneur, Francis previously founded Raptor Vision, a computer vision startup. He began his career at the IBM Corporation before joining Shearson and Oppenheimer & Co. He serves on the board of the Francis Foundation, is Chair Emeritus of the Council of Urban Professionals, and is a member of Black in AI, Partnership on AI, and the Council of Institutional Investors.
Session:
TBA
Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Ed Gordon is known for his stellar interactions with newsmakers from the worlds of politics, entertainment, and sports; the veteran journalist is the president of Ed Gordon Media, a multi-service production company.
Gordon is a CBS News contributor covered the 2024 presidential election for the network. He also served as a special correspondent for the BET/CBS News program, America in Black. The newsmagazine premiered in February of 2023. In July of 2024. Gordon conducted a headline-making interview with embattled President Joe Biden. Five days after the interview, Biden would announce he would not seek a second term.
In 2020, Gordon authored his first book, Conversations in Black. In the best-selling book, Gordon interviewed over 40 leaders and influencers for a “virtual” conversation about the state of Black America. He also hosts the nationally syndicated radio program, Weekend with Ed Gordon.
Gordon became well-known and critically-acclaimed during two stints at BET. He had many roles at the network, including: anchor of BET News, and host of BET Tonight.
He’s also been a contributing correspondent for the CBS News show 60 Minutes II, a contributor for NBC’s Today Show and Dateline, and an MSNBC anchor.
Some of Gordon’s other notable works include: the infamous O. J. Simpson interview; an exclusive sit-down with embattled singer R.Kelly and the critically acclaimed one-on-one with Tupac Shakur.
In addition to receiving an Emmy for his work, Gordon is the recipient of many other awards recognizing his talent and professionalism, including the NAACP Image Award and the prestigious Journalist of the Year Award from the National Association of Black Journalists.
Session:
Honorary Co Chair
L.P. Green II is the Founder & Managing Partner of Savoy Venture Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on accelerating disruptive innovations and trends in the Enterprise, Consumer, Health, Supply Chain/Logistics and Fintech sectors.
Savoy Venture Partners is dedicated to connecting entrepreneurs, investors, executives, engineers, academics, industry experts, and other key players within the technology ecosystem. We leverage this network as part of our commitment to helping our portfolio companies thrive.
Savoy Venture Partners provides entrepreneurs with unparalleled access to expertise and insights across all aspects of building and scaling a business, ensuring they have the support needed to succeed at every stage.
Green serves as a life member of the Council of Foreign Relations and the President Society of the Aspen Institute.
Green earned an MBA from the University of Oxford Said School of Business, a MPA degree from Harvard Kennedy School, M.S. degree from Columbia University and a B.A. degree in Sociology from the University of South Carolina-AIken.
Session:
Town Hall
Dr. Marc Lamont Hill is one of the nation’s most respected intellectual voices, known for his work as a scholar, journalist, author, and activist. He is the host of BET News, Al Jazeera’s UpFront, the Night School YouTube series, and a contributor to the Joe Budden Podcast. An award-winning journalist, he has received honors from the National Association of Black Journalists, GLAAD, and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Dr. Hill is a Presidential Professor at the CUNY Graduate Center and has held faculty positions at Morehouse, Temple, and Columbia. He is also the founder of The People’s Education Center and the owner of Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books. Since his youth in Philadelphia, he has worked on issues including prison abolition, political prisoner release, and global human rights. Named one of Ebony’s 100 most influential Black leaders, he is the author or co-author of eight books, including Nobody and Except for Palestine.
Session:
TBA
“Worldwide Exchange” Anchor, Transports & Tech Correspondent
Frank Holland is anchor of CNBC’s “Worldwide Exchange” (M-F, 5AM-6AM ET), which broadcasts from CNBC Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
He is also a Transports & Tech Correspondent for the network. Holland focuses on reporting and executive interviews for cloud computing, enterprise software and cybersecurity companies in the technology sector as well as trucking, e-commerce and shipping companies in the supply chain sector. Previously, he was a general assignment reporter for CNBC starting in September 2018.
During his time at the network, Holland has covered a wide range of national stories including: the first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine, the death of George Floyd, Hurricane Ida and the first Kentucky Derby after the pandemic.
Holland also contributes to CNBC Expanding Opportunity and has reported on the 100th Anniversary of Black Wall Street, diversity in tech and has hosted various network specials.
Before joining CNBC, Holland was an anchor and reporter at NBC Boston and WCVB in Boston covering national stories and major local news including the famous “28-3” Patriots Super Bowl victory, The “Texting-Suicide” trial and the Boston Marathon. Holland also enterprise original series and hosted live events, including “Black in Boston”, a weekly business segment and the NBC Education Town Hall in Boston.
Prior to Boston, Holland spent three years as an anchor/reporter at WGN-TV in Chicago, where he covered the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama, the Republican and Democratic national conventions, as well as the National College Football Championship. He also held positions at NBC Affiliate WDIV in Detroit, News 12 in New York, and spent several years in television news in both the Virgin Islands and Alaska.
Holland holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Bentley University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., the Urban League and the National Association of Black Journalists.
Session:
Future Forward: Navigating the Tech- Driven Business Landscape
Brandeis Marshall is Founder and CEO of DataedX Group, a data ethics learning and development agency for educators, scholars and practitioners to counteract automated oppression efforts with culturally-responsive instruction and strategies.
Trained as a computer scientist and as a former college professor, Brandeis teaches, speaks and writes about the racial, gender, socioeconomic and socio-technical impact of data operations on technology and society. She wrote Data Conscience: Algorithmic Siege on our Humanity (Wiley, 2022) as a counter-argument reference for tech’s move fast and break things philosophy. She pinpoints, guides and recommends paths to moving slower and building more responsible human-centered AI approaches.
Brandeis centers her work and impact on making data and AI concepts snackable to understand for practical implementation from the classroom to the boardroom.
Brandeis’s thought leadership has appeared in Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Medium, OneZero, The Moguldom Nation, and on CNN. Brandeis has spoken to audience across the AI and justice sectors including ACLU, Harvard, Kapor Center, Stanford, Truist, Urban League and Visa.
Brandeis holds a Ph.D. and Master of Science in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Rochester. She has been a faculty associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Stanford PACS Practitioner Fellow and Partner Research Fellow at Siegel Family Endowment. She has served as an assistant professor at Purdue University and then associate and full professor at Spelman College.
Session:
Breakout Session: Unlocking Access: Tech as a Catalyst for Career Advancement
Adrion Porter is a keynote speaker, advisor, LinkedIn Top Voice, and the founder of Mid-Career Mastery®, a personal and professional growth company for today’s ever-changing world of work.
A former marketing executive, Adrion is now on a mission to reframe the "middle" not as a messy season of stagnation, but as your most magical and meaningful chapter of reinvention and transformation. Adrion is the creator of The Mastery Map®, a story-centered framework grounded in neuroscience and narrative psychology that's designed to be your personal roadmap of transformation. It's goal is to help you get unstuck, navigate, and thrive in their career—at any age or stage.
He is a trusted speaker and advisor to top organizations around the world including Fidelity, TIAA, Black Enterprise, NBMBAA, Humana, AARP, Harvard Medical School, and others. Adrion is also the host of the popular podcast Gen X Amplified and the creator of the #FabulousOver40 Spotlight Series on LinkedIn. Previously, Adrion led brand development and marketing initiatives for HBO, Cartoon Network, Citi, and served as CMO for a tech and media non-profit. Adrion holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University and a BBA from the University of Memphis.
Session:
The Black Economic Renaissance: Leading the Next Era of Influence
Killer Mike gets recognized for many things - being an Outkast protege, a member of rap powerhouse Run The Jewels, one of Atlanta’s biggest advocates, a Bernie Sanders whisperer, and, perhaps most importantly, a voice of reason in an increasingly insane world. Some might know one or two of those sides of Mike, but with his 2023 three-time Grammy Award winning album MICHAEL he finally introduced the world to the totality of Michael Render, a lifelong rap fiend whose consciousness is seeped in the sounds of the family and community that raised him - multiple eras of southern rap flows, Sunday church service, and barbershop discourse.
Mike is also the founder of the S.W.A.G. Shop Babershop which has 3 locations in Atlanta and is launching it's own line of men's care products this year. He also opened up Bankhead Seafood in his childhood neighborhood earlier this year. And his band Run The Jewels continues to expand their beverage business recently opening distributon in more states.
Session:
Wealthmoves: The Pivot from Pro Ball to Corporate America
Jalen Rose is one of the few professional athletes to maintain a high profile post retirement. Long known for his post-game quotes and great relationship with the media, he continues to show his versatility in the multi-media space, entertainment world and as a philanthropist. Jalen was born and raised in Detroit where he was part of the University of Michigan’s legendary “Fab Five” who revolutionized the sports world. In 1994, he was drafted in the first round and went on to have a successful 13-year NBA career. Since then, he spent 16-years as a lead ABC/ESPN analyst for a variety of network shows including the popular radio and television show “Jalen and Jacoby.” Jalen partnered with the New York Post on Renaissance Man, a weekly column and podcast series and in 2015, he released a New York Times Bestseller, Got to Give the People What They Want. Jalen is currently a regular NBA contributor on TNT/NBATV. His most substantial outreach initiative to date is the establishment of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA), an open enrollment, tuition free, public charter high school in the zip code where he grew up.
Session:
From Challenge to Change: Transforming Setbacks into Success
Andre W. Thornton is a CEO, Speaker, and Coach who brings a fresh perspective to the leadership development arena. Having lived his life as an example of how someone can pursue their purpose while in the corporate world, he now inspires and teaches the principles of leadership through the art and science of the human experience. His solutions transform leaders from the inside out.
Prior to becoming CEO, Andre performed on some of the most advanced aircraft programs and technologies in the world. He co-led the capture of over $1B in new business, led technical organizations as large as 2,000 employees, and numerous innovations over the course of a nearly 2-decade career at a global government contracting company.
Andre holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute, and Master of Business Administration in Finance from the Georgia State University Robinson School of Business. He is a founding board member of the non-profit Promaji Alumni Impact. He and his family reside in Maryland.
Session:
Redefining Equity The State of the Black Professional
Guylaine Saint Juste is a transformational CEO and strategic leader who brings 30+ years of executive experience driving sustainable growth through cultural transformation, strategic vision, and financial acumen. As President and CEO of NABA, Inc., she leads a national organization representing more than 200,000 Black business professionals in accounting, finance, and related fields.
Saint Juste's unique value to boards stems from her exceptional ability to identify market shifts before they occur — what Harvard calls “perceptual acuity” — and position organizations to capitalize on emerging opportunities. Her leadership philosophy centers on creating cultures of accountability, excellence, and purpose that deliver measurable results for all stakeholders.
Session:
Wealthmoves: The Pivot, from Corporate America to Private Equity: A discussion with Don Thompson & Orlando Ashford
As a distinguished global speaker, coveted thought influencer, and friend to many, Thompson brings people together through a shared vision of nurturing and advancing innovative brands worldwide.
Thompson is also at the intersection of potential and purpose by cultivating a culture that stays true to his foundations of faith, family, service, philanthropy, diversity, and inclusion. Thompson is a member of the Commercial and Economic Clubs of Chicago, World Business Chicago, the Arthur M. Brazier Foundation, and serves on the National Football League (NFL) Diversity Advisory Committee as well as is a Trustee of The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education.
In addition to Footprint, Thompson lends his expertise to high-profile boards as a Director at Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited, The Northern Trust Corporation, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, and BIA (a Latin American food company). He formerly served on the boards as a Director at Beyond Meat, Exelon, McDonald’s Corporation, as an Advisory Board Member with DocuSign, and as a Purdue University Board Trustee.
Thompson received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and an Honorary Doctorate in Science from Excelsior College. In 2021, Thompson received the Dreamer Award from his alma mater, Purdue University, for his service and impact on the lives of millions of Boilermakers across the country throughout his career. Additionally, Mr. Thompson has been honored with the National Black MBA Association's Outstanding Leadership Award, been inducted into the Chicago Innovation Hall of Fame, and received 1871's Momentum Chicagoness Award.
Session:
Navigating the Unknown: Risk Management and Crisis Leadership
Ranieka Weston is a seasoned executive coach and talent strategist with 20+ years of experience helping leaders navigate complexity, strengthen self-awareness, and drive organizational performance. Her background spans operations, sales, and talent development, with leadership roles at Chubb, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, and United Therapeutics.
Ranieka coaches C-suite executives, directors, and high-potential managers across healthcare, tech, media, insurance, and mission-driven sectors. She integrates emotional agility, inclusive leadership, and adult development principles to help leaders set priorities, delegate effectively, and lead with impact.
Ranieka holds a BA from Florida A&M University, an MS from Seton Hall University, and a PCC from the International Coaching Federation. She completed coach training at Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership.
Session:
NBMBAA 2025: Redefining Equity Town Hall
Pratt Wiley is President & CEO of The Partnership, Inc. As an executive and board leader, Pratt is a trusted strategic advisor to CEOs at some of the word's most respected companies, hospitals, and civic institutions. As CEO of The Partnership, Inc., Pratt has driven unprecedented operational and financial growth, with the organization's enrollment doubling, clients tripling and net assets nearly quadrupling. The organization's more than 7,000 alumni are some of the most prominent leaders of color in business, government and philanthropy. Prior to joining the Partnership, Pratt served in the Obama administration as the Democratic National Commitee's National Voter Expansion Director. A corporate lawyer by training, he practiced law at Nutter, McClennen & Fish LLP in Boston and represented a wide range of public and private sector clients in mergers and acquisitions, venture finance, and public finance. He currently sits on the boards of Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston Public Market, Massachusetts Hospital Association, and the Shady Hill School. Pratt was appointed by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey to the Governor's Advisory Council on Black Empowerment. Pratt received his bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and his JD from Boston College Law School. He lives in Boston with his puppy, Mia.
Session:
Redefining Equity – The State of the Black Professional
Janeen Uzzell is CEO of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the largest Black STEM community impacting society and industry. Formerly COO at the Wikimedia Foundation, she co-created the Wikimedia Knowledge Equity Fund. She spent nearly two decades at GE in global roles across healthcare technology and equity, including Director roles in Africa and Women in Technology. A UN Global Leadership Award winner and one of ADWEEK’s Top Black Women Trailblazers in Tech, Janeen holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina A&T and an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She has served on President Biden’s HBCU Board of Advisors and currently serves on the boards of Mercy Ships, dFree Global, and is a venture capital investor. In 2025, she was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. A social justice advocate and thought leader, Janeen is passionate about equity, innovation, and creating pathways for others.
